Switch for electric-car motors



"Ciwy/wwe S. H. SHORT. SWITCH POR ELECTRIC CAR MOTORS.

Patented July 21,1891.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY H. SHORT, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC-CAR MOTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,254, dated July 21, 1891.

Application tiled April 7, 1891. Serial No. 388,006. fNo model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY ll. SHORT, ot Cleveland, in the county ot` Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switches for Electric- Car Motors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the invention, such as' will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates more particularly to switches for the Inotors of an electric-car having bogie-trueks with two or more motors to each truck, but each of the improvements is included for all the uses to which it may be adapted.

The invention can most conveniently be explained in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specitication.

Figure I is a diagram illustrating a begletruck electric car provided with motors and switches in accordance with the present invention. Fig. II is a detail view of one of the switches, and Fig. III is a view showing a somewhat different arrangement of contacts on the same switch.

As shown, the car A is provided with two bogie-trucks B I3', which are each provided with a Inotor for each of its two axles, said motors being coupled directly to said axles; but the invention is also applicable to geared motors of any suitable description. rlhe armatures O C O O of the respective motors are shown as mounted fast each upon a car-axle E or E or E or' ll', and the correspending field-magnets D or D or D orD are journaled on said axle and held from rotation by a connection with the frame ottruck B or B. The armature-and field-magnets of each 'motor are in series with each other and the several magnets of each field are in series with one another, but the invention is not limited to these relations. It extends as well to motors in general irrespective of the relation of armature to field or ot' field-magnets to one another. In the wire 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 of each Inotor is placed a reversing-switch F or F or F or F, which, as shown, is arranged to reverse the current in the ieldmagnets, but may be arranged to reverse the current in the armature, as well understood by those skilled in the art. yf'

The motors are each connected withja com,V m utating-switch G, whereby they are adapted to be put in series, in multiple series, or in parallel with each other. The details ot this switch are not important here. As shown in Figs. I and II, it comprises a non-conducting body with metallic ends G and 7 journaledin metallic bearings S and E) and a number of circuit-changing plates l0 to 18, inclusive, and brushes 19 to 2e', inclusive. The plates l0, ll, and l2 are insulated from one another, from the ends G and '7, and from the other plates. The plates 13, l5, and 17 are insulated Irom the other plates and from the end U, but are electrically connected by a conductor 27 with one another and with the end 7. rlhe plates la, 16, and 1S are insulated from the other plates and from the end T, but are electrically connected by the conductor 2S with one another and with the end e'. The wires 2 and 29 are respectively connected with the brushes l0 and 2O and fornra loop, which includes the motor C D. rlhe wires S and 30 are respectively connected with the brushes 2l and 22 and form a loop, which includes the motor O D. 'lhe wires 4: and 3l are respectively connected with the brushes 23 agd 24 and form a loop, whichincludes the motor C D. The wires 5 and 32 are respectively connected with the brushes 25 and 26 and form a'loop, which includes the motor G D.

As shown, the four Inotors are in series. 3y turning the cylinder ot' switch G until the brushes 22 and 225 rest upon the plates l5 and le' the motors O D and C D remain in series with each other while such series is placed in parallel with the series composed of the two motors C D and C D. By turning the switch still farther the brushes 20, 2l, 2l, and 25 bear upon the plates lf3, 14C, 17, and 1S, and all four Inotors are connected in parallel with one another. The rheostatic switch or current regulator comprises a switch-arm II, a series ot contacts ll, and a series of resistances Il, and is included in the supply-wire 33, leading` from the trolley or from a storagebattery on the car or the like to the bearing` S of switch G. The bearing 9 is grounded or connected with the return-conductor, The

s vitch G might evidently be operated by means independently of the regulator-arm H, but a special improvement consists in connecting them so that they are operated together. To this end a sprocket-wheel 34, with an insulating web, is fast on one of the journals of the switch G, and is driven by a chain from the sprocket-wheel 3G, which turns with the arm II. Instead of the chain and sprocket-wheels other known or suitable power-transmitting devices could be used. It is evident that the switches G and H IfI could be so arranged that the said switch G could maire the change from series to multiple series or from multiple series to parallel in any desired position of the switch-arm H. As shown, the arrangement is such that the changes take 'il ace atan intermediate position of said arm Il, andthe motor-man cuts out resistances both before and after he effects said changes. In operation the motor-man turns on the current with all the resistan ces II. in circuit and the motors in series, and proceeds to cut out the resistanees until the contact 37 is reached. Thilo the arm II is on this contact the switch G puts the motors in multiple series. Then more resistance is cut out until the arm H rests on the contact 38. Before the arm leaves this contact the switch G connects the motors in parallel, and during the further movement of the switches the rest of the resistances II are eut out.

The motor-man may use the switches so as to increase the current for starting under a heavy load, or if the car be started with the motors in series orin multiple series they may be used to increase the speed by diminishing the counter electro-motive force. The arrangement ot the switches in such a way that the car may be started with the motors in series is important, because the motors then generate considerable counter electro-motive force almost from the start, and the car may bix run at a slow speed with economy of current, owing` to the greatness of said counter electro-motive force. IVhen the car is to run more rapidly, the motors may with economy be connected in multiple series orin parallel, as each motor would then be generating a high counter electro-motive force.

rlhe arrangement of the rheostatic switch so that it may cut out resistances before and after the switch G has changed the relation of the motors to one another enables the motor-man to graduate the speed or current in each of the relations provided for. It is possible to combine the contacts 37 andBS and omit the intermediate resistances. Instead of having the switch G so arranged as to connect the series of motors C D and C D in parallel with the series C D and C" D, as described, it could be modified. Thus, as shown in Fig. III, it is arranged to connect the series composed of the motors C D and fC D in parallel with the series C D and car rising only two motors, it is only necessary to omit the plates 11,12, l5, 16,17, and 1S and the corresponding brushes and to connect the wires leading to the motors with the brushes l), 20, 2l, and 26, respectively. This connection could be made without altering the Switch G.

The use of thc switches with two or more motors would be within the seventh to eleventh, inclusive, of the clauses of claim hereinafter written. Instead of having the comi'nutating-switch G to connect the four motors successively in series, multiple series, an d parallel, it is evident that the said switch could be arranged to establish any two oi.' said relations by suitably altering the plates of the switch-cylinder- The combination of a commutating and rheostatic switch and oper ating means so arranged that one or more of its changes are effected by said commutatingswitch in an intermediate position of the rheostatic switch is believed to be new,broad ly, and is included generally in the twelfth clause of claim hereinafterwritten, irrespcctive of the number or character of the devices connected with the commutating-switch. The thirteenth clause of claim also extends to the combination generally, as therein explained, of the devices named therein.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In combination with the wheel-base of a car and tour or more propelling-motors, the rheostatic and com mutatingswitches, the commutating-switch being adapted to connect the motors in series, in multiple series, and in paralell, and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion of the supply-circuit common to said motors, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the wheel-base of a car and four or more propelling-motors, the rheostatic and commutating switches, the com mutating-switch being adapted to connect the motors in at least two of the three relations herein described-namely, series, multiple series, and parallel-and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion ot' the supplycircuit common to said motors, substantially as described.

In combination with the wheel-base of a car and four or more propelling-motors, the rheostatic and commutating switches and means whereby they are operated together, the commutating-switch being adapted to connect the motors in at least two of the three relations herein described-namely, series, multiple series, and parallel-and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion of the supply-circuit common to said motors, substantially as described.

et. In combination with the wheel-base of a car and four or more propelling-motors, the rheostatic and commutating switches and means whereby they are operated together, the commutating-switch heilig adapted to connect the motors in series, in multiple se- IOO IOS

IIO

ISO

ries, and in parallel, and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion ot' the supplycircnit common to said motors, and the operating means being moved in the same direction to cut ont resistance and to change the relation of the motors from series to multiple series or parallel, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the wheel-base of a car and four or more propelling-motors, the rheostatic and commntating switches and means whereby they are operated together, the commntating-switch being adapted to connect the motors in at least two of the three relations herein described, namely-series, multiple series, and parallel-and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion of the supply-circuit common to said motors and adapted to cut ont resistances both before and after one or more of the changes are effected by said commutating-switch, and the operating means being moved in the saine direction to cut ont resistance and to change the relation of the motors from series to multiple series or parallel or from multiple series to parallel, substantially as described.

6. In combination with the wheel-base of a car and four or more propelling-motors, the reversing, rheostatic, and commutatingswitches, the commutating-switch being` adapted to connect the motors in series, in multiple series, and in parallel, and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion of the supply-circuit common to said motors, and said reversingswitches being' included, respectively, in the loops between the motors and the said comimitating-switch, substantially as described.

7. In combination with the wheel-base and propelling-motors of an electric car, the rheostatic and commutating` switches, the commutating-switch being adapted to connect the motors in series and in parallel and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion of the supply-circuit common to said motors, substantially as described.

8. In combination with the wheel base and propelling-motors of an electric car, the rheostatic and commutating switches and means whereby they are operated together, the comimitating-switch being adapted to connect the motors in series and in parallel and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion of the supply-circuit common to said motors, substantially as described.

9. In combination with the wheel base and propelling-motors of an electric car, the rheostatic and commntating switches and the operating means, the comInutating-switch being adapted to. connect the motors in series and parallel and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion of the supply-circuit common to said motors, and the operating means being` moved in the same direction to cnt ont resistance and to change the relation of the motors from series to parallel, substantially as described.

IO. In combination with the wheel base and propelling-motors of an electric car, the reversing, rheostatic, and commutatingswitches, and means whereby the said rheostatic and commutating switches are operated together, the comm utating-switch being adapted to connect the motors in series and in parallel and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion of the supply-circuit common to said motors and adapted to cut out resistances both before and after the change is effected by said con1imitating-switch, and the operating means being moved in the same direction to cut out resistance and to change the relation of the motors from series to parallel, substantially as described.

II. In combination with the wheel-base and propelling-motors of an electric car, the reversing, rheostati c, and commutating switches, the commutating-switch being adapted to connect the motors in series and in parallel and the rheostatic switch being arranged in a portion of the supply-circuit common to said motors, and said reversing-switches being included in the loops between the motors and the said com m utatin g-switch, substantially as described.

I2. The combination of the rheostatic and commutating switches and means for operating them together, the combination and arrangement being such that one or more ofthe changes effected by said commutating-switch are made when the rheostatic switch is in an intermediate position, substantially as described.

I3. he combination of the rheostatic switch, the comimitating-switch in circuit therewith, and the reversing-switches in the loops from said coinmutating-switch, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification inthe presence of two snbscribing witnesses.

S. Il. SllOR'l.

Witnesses:

A. B. CALHOUN, Il. S. Nom).

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